


before you go

by ninthsnow



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Escorts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/F, an excuse to write 'miss hresvelg', escort!byleth, gentleness turns byleth on dont fight me on this, vampire!edelgard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22957984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninthsnow/pseuds/ninthsnow
Summary: Vampires were odd creatures. But Edelgard? She was even more so.or, Byleth is supposed to be doing her job but catches feelings instead
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 19
Kudos: 266





	before you go

* * *

_Edelgard von Hresvelg._

Byleth quietly reads the name out loud, tasting the way it rolls on her tongue. The name feels familiar, deep—like something engraved in her heart. It was particularly troublesome and weird considering Byleth is positive she’s never met her before. 

Her eyes wander to the attached picture in the email for identification and no, she really has no recollection of ever meeting her. Byleth would like to think that she’s not one to forget faces, especially not like those of Edelgard’s whose beauty is almost irrefutable.

She sighs, her fingers drumming mindlessly on the table’s surface as she gives the e-mail she’s been reading another skim. The request came early in the morning and Byleth had an ample amount of time to consider if she wanted to accept it.

Edelgard is pretty. _Very pretty_ , Byleth must admit despite the clearly formal and stoic expression on the woman’s face. The details underneath the photo shows that Edelgard is tagged as Green, meaning that she has no offense committed and is fit for human interaction. In other words, she was safe and Byleth was not going to accept clients that were coded in Yellow or Red.

Byleth moves on to the next important detail to find out which of her provided service is requested. She’s not so surprised to find both boxes checked. Clients will be paying her for her time regardless but it was always nice to know what she’s getting herself into and this time, it seems she'll be in it for both.

Blood and sex.

Amusingly enough, there is an additional note on the email tells her that the client herself hasn’t requested for her...services. The request was filed by Dorothea Arnault and Byleth would have quickly dismissed the request all together if she didn’t know Dorothea herself.

From then on, everything was simple and clear. She is to head over to the usual hotel at 6 PM sharp, hope her client is nice, then get on with her job. Nothing she hasn’t done before.

Nothing she hasn’t done before and yet, her eyes flick back to the photo, she can feel that things might go differently with this one.

It does go differently.

Byleth is surprised when the door she’s been knocking on opens and she is immediately bombarded with an array of apologies from her client.

“I’m really, really sorry. You shouldn’t be here wasting your time. I’ve repeatedly told Dorothea that this kind of service is unnecessary and yet she--”

Byleth zones out as the very beautiful woman (her picture didn’t do her justice) continues to ramble on. She is somewhat ushered inside the lavish hotel room and sat on a couch, a cup of tea pressed into her cold hands.

Edelgard sits across her and exhaustion seemed to weigh heavy on her shoulders. The beautiful woman sighs and Byleth catches sight of her fangs as she does. It reminds her of what she’s here for. 

“I--”

But Edelgard didn’t seem to notice her trying to speak, what with her lavender eyes seemingly shy and avoiding her at all costs. There was also a flush to her cheeks that Byleth doesn’t miss. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the woman was flustered. The flush on her cheeks, again, weird. This is the first time Byleth has ever seen a vampire _blush_.

“Look, I apologize for all of this and I’ll still pay you for your time but the weather outside is rather cold and unforgiving and I don’t want to just send you off when you just got here but I can leave if it makes you uncomfortable—”

Byleth feels her lips curl. She’s _cute_ and Byleth is not going to let the opportunity to get her job done and over with slip by.

“If you are so worried about the cold weather, Miss Hresvelg,” Byleth sets her cup on the table and leans across it in one swift motion, invading Edelgard’s space as the woman is suddenly rendered speechless at her advance. “We can do something about it, no?” She leans in further, her eyes falling on Edelgard’s lips. But she doesn’t kiss her. Byleth only wants to give her the impression that she’s going to.

Byleth’s self-imposed rule of always letting the client initiate the first intimate contact isn’t forgotten. It was rather helpful really, as it allowed her to evaluate her clients, letting her know which role to play. Some clients liked to engage her in small talk first, some liked to take her out someplace fancy before taking her to a hotel room, and some liked to just get on with it. 

Opening the door to profuse apologies was a new one though.

Byleth blinks when she is suddenly pressed back into the couch she had been sitting on with gentle force and that Edelgard is suddenly at the far end of the room.

“I’m so sorry.” Edelgard apologizes, realizing what she just did in a matter of a split second. Byleth wonders how many times she’s apologized for the past few minutes.

Vampires were odd creatures. But Edelgard? She was even more so. Vampires weren’t usually so… timid and apologetic.

Edelgard shuffles towards her meekly. “I didn’t hurt you, did I? I’m sorry, you just caught me by surprise.”

Byleth blinks again. “Um, no, I’m fine. It should be me who’s sorry.”

“Well, that’s good,” Edelgard looks relieved. “That you’re not hurt I mean.”

Byleth nods, makes herself comfortable on the couch and crosses her legs. She intentionally moves in a deliberate motion meant to catch Edelgard’s eyes. She does. Byleth smirks when the woman’s gaze drifts to her bare legs, her short skirt hiking up an inch and Byleth is all too amused when Edelgard looks away so quickly.

“So, I assume you are not interested in being serviced?” Byleth asks, nonchalant, but maintains a mischievous glint in her eyes. She tilts her head coyly and smiles invitingly, letting Edelgard know that if she wanted to, she’d be more than willing to forget the past few minutes.

Edelgard clears her throat, arms crossing over her chest and Byleth can appreciate how good she looks in a simple crimson dress shirt and dark slacks. She wasn’t very tall but Byleth could feel a certain air around her that made her presence very palpable. The white-haired woman sits beside her, though Byleth notes how she has taken to the furthest end of the couch.

“No, there’s no need for that.” Edelgard speaks, seemingly gaining her composure.

Byleth hums, reaching for her tea on the table. It _is_ rather cold and the tea was rather delicious. She tastes bergamot on her tongue and it makes her smile a little.

“Really? Not even for…” she trails off, her pause was effective in its intention when Edelgard glances at her and Byleth tilts her head, showing the expanse of her neck. She sees more than hear Edelgard’s breath catch at the invitation. 

Edelgard flushes. “N-No. I’m good.”

Byleth chuckles. “Ah, so it seems that I’m getting paid for enjoying a cup of tea in the lovely presence of a beautiful woman such as yourself. Not exactly a waste of time if you ask me.”

The white-haired woman fakes a cough, eyes once again trying to look everywhere that isn’t Byleth. Byleth, of course, can’t help but teasing her further. “Although I’ve never been rejected so strongly before. Should I take offense?”

“N-No!” Edelgard was quick to retort. “I didn’t mean to make you feel insulted in any measure. It’s just that I’m personally not interested in this kind of...service, not that I think it’s something to be looked down on, it’s really just not for me—but Dorothea has insisted anyway and told me she’s already booked you. I simply thought it’d be rude if I didn’t show up—”

Byleth’s brow rises to her hairline as the woman continued to ramble. Still, she listens with rapt attention. She feels the amusement pulling at the corners of her lips, a strange fondness for the even stranger woman blooming in her chest.

Edelgard was absolutely endearing.

Byleth hates it.

The white-haired woman eventually caught herself rambling and she immediately quiets, meekly averting her gaze. "What I mean to say is sorry. Again. I hope this meeting didn't come in the way of anything important."

Byleth's lip curls upward. "This meeting is well within my usual working hours, Miss Hresvelg. If anything, as my current client, there is nothing more important to me now than you."

She's not sure what to make of the way Edelgard's face suddenly becomes unreadable. It doesn't last long before Edelgard fakes another cough as she discreetly tries to hide the flush on her cheeks behind her gloved hand.

"I see." is all Edelgard says.

Byleth lets the silence sit in as she takes another sip of her tea. Honestly, she felt like the silence was needed for the both of them. Byleth didn't really like talking when she wasn't in character, it seemed futile to keep it up when her client wasn't interested in doing anything other than breathe the same air as her and Edelgard seemed to appreciate the moment to probably gather her thoughts.

Her eyes gazed out to the wall that was all mirror. The rain didn't seem like it was going to let up soon and she might be stuck here longer than she should be.

Still, she's on the job and Byleth feels like she should still be entertaining Edelgard even if it wasn't in the same manner she usually does with her other clients.

"Are you sure about just having tea with me, Miss Hresvelg?"

Edelgard blinks at that. "Yes."

"I hope you do know my time isn't cheap."

"I agree that it shouldn't be so."

Byleth is surprised at that. Who knew her meek client could be smooth? _Or just incredibly honest_ , Byleth thinks as she notes the genuine confusion on Edelgard's face.

"Miss Hres--"

"Edelgard. You may call me Edelgard."

Edelgard.

Byleth opens her mouth but the name can't seem to roll off her tongue. It feels wrong somehow, to be calling a client by name when not in the haze of sex. She detours. "I still think you ought to be getting your money's worth." 

"But I am?" Edelgard answers, confusion clear in her eyes. "This room is well-heated and the tea is to my liking. It is very relaxing." She nods, more to herself than anything. It makes Byleth's brow rise even higher. 

"Miss Hresvelg, this is a five-star hotel and there are cafés all around the city if you simply wish to enjoy a cup of tea."

"But Dorothea has arranged for this. She refused to give me your number in fear that I'd cancel."

"In any case, you are paying me in hundreds by the minute."

"Yes, I am aware."

"...to sit down and drink tea with you."

"Yes."

Byleth notes how Edelgard is now surer of herself. Was a steady conversation simply the way for Edelgard to stop stammering and shed the meek personality of hers? Byleth almost misses her flustered—if she didn't find this banter of theirs ridiculous but so, so engaging.

Edelgard makes her want to talk. Even if it's merely insisting upon letting her do her job.

They argue. If it could be called _arguing_. What with them going about it so calmly in between sips of tea and when has the conversation shifted to which breeds of cat Byleth found cute?

Time passes by and Byleth only notices when she looks out the window and finds the storm dying down to a drizzle.

Byleth was having fun. Edelgard was positively endearing. And that did not spell anything good in Byleth's books.

She has to leave.

"Oh." Edelgard looks so disappointed and sad. Byleth feels like she just kicked a puppy. Still, Edelgard walks with her to the door, her gloved hand picking up an envelope on the dresser on their way.

Edelgard tries to hand her the nondescript envelope when Byleth is out of the door, reminding her that the entire time they spent together was something she charges for. Byleth can tell from its bulk that it contains more than it should.

Something in Byleth refuses to take the envelope. For once, she declines. "Keep it, Miss Hresvelg. I cannot charge you for a simple tea party."

Edelgard's stance doesn't change. Her brow furrows. "You stayed with me for two hours. I don't understand. I thought I was paying for your time."

"You are supposed to be paying for sex and blood too." Byleth bluntly repeats her argument in a completely uncensored fashion from their earlier argument. "And I didn't give you any of those."

"That's beside the point."

"I can't say I appreciate you telling me on how I should do my business, Miss Hresvelg."

"Oh, fine."

Byleth almost grins when she thinks she has won. Much to her surprise, Edelgard takes her hand and pricks her pinky finger with her fang.

Byleth feels like time itself broke.

She watches as a small, single trickle of blood spills and runs down the length of her finger. Edelgard's tongue chases the blood before tracing a path back up to the tip of her finger. Her lips then close around it and Byleth is not sure what to make of the sudden heat she feels deep and hard in her gut when Edelgard sucks ever so lightly.

The gentleness in her actions is tilting. It's as if Edelgard was scared of hurting her that even pricking the tip of her finger with something as sharp as her fang was made into a painless experience.

Edelgard releases her hand. A stupid, small grin on her face and the lavender in her eyes much brighter. They seemed to glow, a typical reaction when vampires drink blood but Byleth has never been more mesmerized than she is now.

"There, I've taken your blood." Edelgard grins. "Your time and your blood. That's two out of three. So, I suppose there is no more reason for you to refuse my payment."

Byleth blinks, mind still reeling. Edelgard slips the envelope in her hand.

"Goodnight, Byleth."

She doesn't get the chance to say another word or argue her case before Edelgard is stepping back into the room and shutting the door close.

Byleth goes home, heart in her mouth and butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Dorothea will have a lot of explaining to do.

**Author's Note:**

> This.... this fic has a lot of things going on at once (at least in my mind). Honestly, it's just:
> 
> 1\. An excuse to write a decent amount of 'Miss Hresvelg' (oh i held back on this a lot)
> 
> 2\. An excuse to write a bunch of tropes at once 
> 
> 3\. Miss Hresvelg
> 
> 4\. I kinda had to get this out before I decide to never post it and possibly set up the grounds for an even bigger fic in connection to this series before i lose my wits and my nerves
> 
> 6\. mISS HRESVELG


End file.
